> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.uptiq.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.uptiq.ai/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/cost-control-faqs-and-troubleshooting.md).

# Cost Control: FAQs & Troubleshooting

Answers to common Cost Control questions, and fixes for blocked requests, missing alerts, and limits that won't save.

This page answers common questions about credit usage, usage limits, and alerts. Use the troubleshooting entries when requests are blocked or a limit or alert doesn't behave as expected.

## FAQs

### Credit usage

<details>

<summary>Who can see credit usage and set limits?</summary>

**View credit usage**: Billing Manager, Auditor, Account Admin, and Organisation Admin. **Set credit limits**: Billing Manager, Account Admin, and Organisation Admin. See [Roles](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/admin/roles.md).

</details>

<details>

<summary>How current is the usage on Credit Usage?</summary>

**Resource Usage** can lag live activity by up to one hour. See [Credit Usage](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/credit-usage.md#review-credit-usage).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why doesn't an agent's row include what evaluating it cost?</summary>

Scoring by Online Eval is billed on its own, as `OnlineEval` on the **Features** tab. An agent's row on **Agents** shows only what the agent spent serving users. See [Credit Usage](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/credit-usage.md#review-credit-usage).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Where do I see every credit and debit?</summary>

On **Credit Usage**, select **View Ledger**. **Credit History** lists each transaction with its **Operation Type**, **Additional Details**, **Credit Change**, **Balance Credit**, and **Timestamp**. See [Credit history](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/credit-usage.md#credit-history).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does usage on my own model provider key use credits?</summary>

No. Usage against a UPTIQ managed key in AI Gateway draws on your credit balance; with your own key, the provider bills you directly. See [Manage costs and limits](/ai-workbench-qore/task-guides/manage-costs-and-limits.md#see-what-used-the-credits).

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is the credit balance in the top bar?</summary>

For people who can view credit usage, the top bar shows the account's credit balance. Open it to see each limit with the credits consumed against it.

</details>

### Limits and alerts

<details>

<summary>Which credit limit applies when there are several?</summary>

The strictest one. Limits exist at three levels: an organization-wide cap, the account's limits on **Usage Limits**, and a per-agent credit guardrail set in Agent Builder. See [Usage Limits](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/usage-limits.md).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does a new account have a limit?</summary>

Yes. Every account starts with a default weekly hard limit, until you replace it with your own. See [Usage Limits](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/usage-limits.md).

</details>

<details>

<summary>What happens when usage reaches a hard limit?</summary>

Requests that would exceed it are rejected with *The credit usage limit configured for this account has been reached.* Every Account Admin on the account is emailed. The limit resets at the start of its next period; for example, a **Monthly** limit resets on the first day of each month. See [Create usage limits](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/usage-limits.md#create-usage-limits).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Who receives usage alerts?</summary>

Every **Account Admin** on the account, once per period after usage crosses the threshold. Other administrators on the platform aren't emailed. See [Add an alert](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/usage-limits.md#add-an-alert).

</details>

<details>

<summary>What's the difference between Absolute Credits and Percentage of Limit?</summary>

**Absolute Credits** alerts at a credit count. **Percentage of Limit** alerts at a share of the account's hard limit for the same period, up to 100%. See [Add an alert](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/usage-limits.md#add-an-alert).

</details>

## Troubleshooting

### Blocked requests

<details>

<summary>Requests fail with "The credit usage limit configured for this account has been reached"</summary>

A hard limit on the account has been reached. The top-bar credit balance shows *Requests are blocked until reset*. Wait for the limit's next period, or ask someone who can set credit limits to raise it on **Usage Limits**. To ask from the credit balance, select **Contact admin to request more**: every Account Admin is emailed, and the button changes to *Admin notified to request a limit increase*.

</details>

<details>

<summary>An agent stops spending although the account has credit left</summary>

A stricter limit may apply: the organization-wide cap, or the agent's own credit guardrail in Agent Builder. The strictest applicable limit wins. See [Usage Limits](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/usage-limits.md).

</details>

<details>

<summary>A model call fails because the provider has insufficient credits</summary>

With your own provider key, the provider bills you directly. The error reads *The LLM provider rejected the request for insufficient credits. Add credits to the provider account, or lower the requested max\_tokens.* Add credits on the provider's side. See [Gateway Settings](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/ai-gateway/gateway-settings.md).

</details>

### Limits and alerts

<details>

<summary>I can't open Credit Usage or Usage Limits</summary>

Each page needs its own capability. **Credit Usage** needs **View credit usage**: Billing Manager, Auditor, Account Admin, or Organisation Admin. **Usage Limits** needs **Set credit limits**: Billing Manager, Account Admin, or Organisation Admin. See [Roles](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/admin/roles.md).

</details>

<details>

<summary>A limit or alert won't save because it exceeds the platform limit</summary>

A limit can't exceed the platform limit for the same period. The message gives that period's maximum, for example *The weekly value cannot exceed the platform limit of …*. Enter a value at or below it.

</details>

<details>

<summary>A Percentage of Limit alert won't save</summary>

It needs a hard limit for the same duration, and its percentage can't exceed 100. Add the hard limit first, for example a **Weekly** hard limit for a **Weekly** alert. See [Usage Limits](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/usage-limits.md).

</details>

<details>

<summary>An alert email didn't arrive</summary>

Alerts go only to **Account Admin** role holders on the account, once per period. Check that the person holds Account Admin on that account, and that usage crossed the threshold in the current period. See [Add an alert](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/usage-limits.md#add-an-alert).

</details>

<details>

<summary>Credit Usage doesn't show the latest activity</summary>

**Resource Usage** can lag live activity by up to one hour. Check again later. See [Credit Usage](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/credit-usage.md#review-credit-usage).

</details>

### Related

* [Credit Usage](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/credit-usage.md) and [Usage Limits](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/usage-limits.md)
* [Manage costs and limits](/ai-workbench-qore/task-guides/manage-costs-and-limits.md): every Cost Control task
* [Reports](/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/observe/reports.md): the Credit Usage Report

***

{% columns %}
{% column width="83.33333333333334%" %}

<p align="right"><em>Maintained by</em> <mark style="color:green;">Abhishek Paul</mark><br><code>AI-assisted, human-approved</code></p>
{% endcolumn %}

{% column width="16.666666666666664%" %}

<div align="left"><img src="https://1326225582-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F0qmgQjJ5aArDTj2ACFHG%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d034645b4f8f8ee661985f5306b60ded3289653c%2Fmaintainer-abhishek-paul.png?alt=media" alt="" width="60"></div>
{% endcolumn %}
{% endcolumns %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://docs.uptiq.ai/ai-workbench-qore/control-center/cost-control/cost-control-faqs-and-troubleshooting.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.